Introduction to the ILO's programme on Jobs for Peace and Resilience

The Programme on Jobs for Peace and Resilience will focus on employment generation, especially for young people, in conflict affected and disaster prone countries.

Why Jobs for Peace and Resilience?

Employment and incomes contribute to tangible peace dividends for people affected by conflict. They provide opportunities for enjoying freedom and security, and ensuring dignity, and a stake in the reconciliation and restoration of their communities. Dialogue around productive work brings people together and is essential for direct participation in building resilience.

Tackling un- and underemployment of young women and men contributes to reducing tensions, and facilitates national reconciliation and greater resilience, social cohesion and political stability.

The Jobs for Peace and Resilience Programme (JPR) addresses root causes of economic, social and environmental vulnerability to help countries break the vicious cycle of conflicts and disasters.

What will the programme do?

The JPR will apply well-recognised ILO employment-intensive investment strategies. These strategies integrate immediate job creation with provision of skills training, enterprise and local development as well as institution building and dialogue.

The JPR will have important impact on the number of jobs created, and on the number of young women and men with enhanced employability after having been provided vocational skills and entrepreneurship training.

Simultaneous organization building and dialogue, and strengthening of private and public institutions will have measurable impact on governance and working conditions in employment programmes.

Where will the programme work?

The JPR Programme will work in conflict-affected and disaster-prone countries to prevent, resist, adapt to and recover from conflicts and slow onset disasters with potentially important dividends on peace and resilience.

ILO will extend its services through the JPR to at least ten countries over the next five years.

Core regions include three clusters of six countries in Africa: Western, Central and the Horn of Africa, and a cluster of three countries in Arab States. Countries in Asia and Latin America are also targeted.

How will the programme work?

Develop organizations and institutions that facilitate community and social dialogue and participation in design, implementation and monitoring, strengthen governance and enhance resilience.

Design, resource and implement employment-intensive investment programmes in various sectors providing immediate employment for young women and men.

Develop technical, vocational and non-technical skills in sectors with large demand for youth labour force; including through apprenticeship.